Tag: art education

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Investing in your art education.

Alison G Saunders Art

Investing in your art education. For those of you who follow my blog, it should be clear that I am aiming these posts at people who are trying to get their art and maybe their art business to the next level. I know a number of really talented artists, some formally trained and others self- taught and most of them spend hours lamenting the current markets not being a good time to sell art and wondering how they can increase their online presence to increase sales. One very good, almost essential way, if you are serious about selling your art … Continue reading Investing in your art education.

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PTSD Recovery of Thomas Stimpson MBE

Alison G Saunders Art

  This month it is my great pleasure to introduce you to Thomas Stimpson MBE. Thomas has been honoured by the Queen for services to the nation as a member of the armed forces. During his time, he saw active service and as a result of this he has had a long challenging recovery journey in his brave battle to overcome PTSD.  Thomas owes everything to his incredibly supportive wife and his lovely children who all helped him to recover, along with clinical interventions and a number of treatments, including Art Therapy, over many years.           … Continue reading PTSD Recovery of Thomas Stimpson MBE

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5 Steps to getting your artwork hanging-ready.

Alison G Saunders Art

Planning ahead! A friend came to visit me this week and was telling me of her frustrations.   She is new to art and through lack of planning had caused herself real angst.  This friend, who is a textile artist, had sewn a beautiful work but having finished it found it was the wrong size for any of the mounts and frames she had. It was a non-standard size anyway, and being sewn, she couldn’t cut it down without damaging the piece. Thus, the only option she had was the expense of using a professional framer. Planning ahead before starting would … Continue reading 5 Steps to getting your artwork hanging-ready.

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What an artist needs to get started

Alison G Saunders Art

  I covered paint quality in a previous blog ( https://alisongsaunders.art/blog/)  but I just wanted to touch on it again here. My advice is always to use the best quality paint, brushes and sub-straight you can afford. I liken it to making a chocolate cake.  If you use cheap margarine, the cheapest battery-hen eggs, cheap cooking chocolate, the cheapest self-raising flour and the cheapest sugar, sure you will make an edible cake, but it won’t be anything special. Now if you buy the best butter, free range eggs, 70%+ chocolate, good quality flour and sugar and then add in a … Continue reading What an artist needs to get started

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Sorolla or Bonnard, who is your favourite artists and why?

Alison G Saunders Art

I get asked all the time, who is your favourite artist, who influences your work. I have always said that I don’t have favourites in anything. And I don’t. I don’t have a favourite colour, pen, paint brush, flower, food, drink, tree, friend, child even, you get the picture and I have always chosen not to single out any one item as a favourite. But I do have things I favour. So, I favour raspberries over rhubarb, I favour some artists over others and I favour bright colours over dark, or do I? I am however excited to add Sorolla … Continue reading Sorolla or Bonnard, who is your favourite artists and why?

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Meet the Artist – Shirley Ann

Alison G Saunders Art

Please introduce yourself. Shirley Ann:  I’m Shirley Ann – my other name is Aphrodite – I believe that I am Aphrodite’s envoy to the world at the present time – but we’ll get to that later, and I live in Southern California with my husband and my son Cupid! And what is your background? Shirley Ann:  I have a very varied background.  I studied French, Arabic, Economics and International Relations as my initial Bachelors and Masters, because at the time I was lined-up to become a diplomat, following in the footsteps of my father; however, when I finished my studies, … Continue reading Meet the Artist – Shirley Ann

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Why join an art group and what to expect?

Alison G Saunders Art

  It doesn’t really matter where you are on your art journey but being a part of some kind of art group is really valuable. But why? You know that saying ‘no man is an island’?  Well, that really applies when making art.  If you only have yourself as a reference, then you won’t grow. How can you if all you have is what immediately surrounds you? Visiting galleries and exhibitions is clearly a great way to find inspiration and expose yourself to other artists’ work but being part of a group will help you even more. As a beginner, … Continue reading Why join an art group and what to expect?

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How to get started writing blog posts

Alison G Saunders Art

My followers will know that I have committed to writing a weekly blog post. Break that down and it is 52 subjects I need to find to write about each year.  Sounds simple enough, until you try it! Oh, I could write just for the sake of it, but you don’t want that, you need to be engaged and I don’t want to deliver something that doesn’t have some value.  So do please tell me, if there is something in particular you would like to hear my thoughts on.   For now though, I thought I would tell you the … Continue reading How to get started writing blog posts

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How do you come up with ideas for your artwork?

Alison G Saunders Art

This is a question I am asked a lot but in many different guises. For instance: – “What influences your art?” “How do you pick a theme?” “Do you paint other things?” Or the question can be phrased: – “I can never decide what to paint what do you suggest?” Or my favourite: – “Oh I don’t think I could do make the same piece over and over again, I would get bored, don’t you get bored?” Let me give you some background so that you can understand where the questions are coming from. I teach a variety of different … Continue reading How do you come up with ideas for your artwork?

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Why take a BA in art?  And how hard can it be?

Alison G Saunders Art

17th Feb 2019 I am asked a lot why I am taking a BA in art. I am up to my neck in producing work for exhibitions etc., I am on the board of a local art group and I teach art to others, so why am I adding extra pressure to my life in this way? The short answer is because I want to, and I can. The long answer is because despite having been surrounded by art all my life, my parents were/are both brilliant artists, I didn’t take the art route, believing that I would never be … Continue reading Why take a BA in art?  And how hard can it be?